A technique for creating a print preview image based upon device information and text data and displaying, side by side, one page of print preview and defect information with regard to the page has been proposed (for example, see the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-067347). This specification also describes a technique for laying out and displaying print previews of all pages, taking into consideration both the front and back sides of each page, in such a manner that the previews will not overlap.
Also proposed is a technique in which when rendering information is stored page by page and transmitted to an output unit, output images are displayed one page at a time in conformity with the progress of printing (for example, see the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-187401).
In addition, there are occasions where word processing programs and the like have a print preview function that causes the result of printing a document or the like to be displayed on a screen. In a case where the result of printing extends over a plurality of pages, preview images in which all of pages are laid out are created but only those preview images that can fit within the display window of the screen are displayed. The user can view all pages by scrolling the screen.
Print preview in an information processing apparatus in which a conventional print driver has been installed presents a preview of one page to be printed or a preview in which all pages to be printed are laid out horizontally and vertically. In case of a preview display in which all pages to be printed are laid out, the number of pages that can be displayed simultaneously is small if the preview display is to be presented at a size large enough to allow the content of the pages to checked. If the display unit is one regularly available, the number of pages is limited to one page at most. It the dimensions of pages displayed are reduced, a plurality of pages can be previewed simultaneously but then it will be difficult or entirely impossible to check the content of the pages.
Thus, in a case where there are a plurality of sheets (pages) to be printed, it is not possible to provide a print preview display that enables the user to readily recognize the fact that the printing of a plurality of sheets will continue while also allowing the user to visually recognize the content to be printed by observing the print preview display.